Hi All,
I’ve been doing brazillian JiuJitsu for the last 7 years and recently got a pretty bad shoulder injury that’s going to keep me out for a while. I will likely be on the mats again at some point but not sure when.
I’m looking for something else to do in the meantime (and maybe for the long term). If your dad was in the same position as me, would you advise him for or against skateboarding? And if for it, how long should I try it before i decide if its for me or not?
Thanks!
You can still learn it if you want to. However your shoulder could be an issue, because you do use the entire body when skating and especially when falling. Avoiding falling should be your first priority. Don’t take chances. Only you can judge what is safe for you to try. Keep your knees bend and always be prepared to jump off safely.
I’d advise you to go to a skatepark to check out if it’s something for you.
Injuries take longer to heal when you are >30 and even more when >40. Learning to skateboard means a lot of injuries… Just sayin’
I don’t have an answer. But I’m 41 a kind of regret never picking it up beyond the extremely badic stuff. If you decide to pick it up, let me know of any progress, and I’ll be your online airmchair skate group of one.
Yes, definitely take it up. There was a dude skateboarding in the Olympics who is fifty-one, so on that basis, you’ve got nearly a decade to make it as an Olympic-level skateboarder!
In terms of when to quit, I would say only quit if you don’t like it. There’s no particular standard you need to reach to prove yourself to anyone.
Don’t do it.
It’s one thing to be forty with a bad shoulder injury. It’s another thing to be forty with a foot or ankle injury.
It’s like in Forrest Gump when they’re in Vietnam: you take good care of your feet. Your shoulders aren’t going to do shit for you if your feet can’t carry them and all the rest of you.
Don’t get a foot injury.
I’m gonna recommend a bicycle. A lot easier on the feet ankles and knees, less prone to injury over all, and can be great cardio. Nice payoff after climbing a hill and heading down the other side. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeee!!!
if you didn’t learn boarding when you were smaller, you’ll find grown ups can build up a lot more speed falling from their extra heigh. also, longer bones can get in really bad angles and stressing lever positions. what’s more easy to snap: a long stick, or a short stick?
if you do it anyway, use all the stupid looking, but health saving protection you can get. you gotta look like goddam iron man.
My son guffawed at that Iron Man comment
The last two guys I know who are over 40 and got back on the board broke something pretty serious.
It actually has a really long learning curve, if you didn’t skate as a kid it will take you a long time to even be comfortable rolling around, let alone doing anything more. Kids have an infinite amount of time to practice and can take their boards with them basically everywhere, adults don’t have the same luxury.
And the other part is, you will get injured. You might get lucky and be fine, or you might get unlucky and fuck your knee or ankle or wrist or collarbone for months or life.
It’s a young person’s hobby. If you’re really keen then go for it, but if its an idle curiosity I think there are other things that you’d find more satisfying.
Just my experience, I picked it up at 28 and got comfy riding easily. That’s fun and safe. Particularly longboarding.
Once I started going for tricks, I quickly injured my wrist and shoulder and noticed my one knee having issues. Had to switch sports to bicycling (which I’m enjoying even more)
Wear protection and do daily exercises that strengthen your overal physique. If you indeed practised Brazilian jiu-jitsu then you already know how to fall, therefore you’re less likely to be hurt by trivial stumbles that would hurt other beginners completely new to any kind of intensive sport.
